Integrated surface micromachined magnometer

(19)

(11)

EP 1 376 145 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	22.09.2004 Bulletin 2004/39

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	02.01.2004 Bulletin 2004/01

(21)	Application number: 03077911.0

(22)	Date of filing: 21.02.1997

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁷: G01R 33/038

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	DE FR GB

(30)

Priority:

22.02.1996 US 605743

(62)	Application number of the earlier application in accordance with Art. 76 EPC:
	01200441.2 / 1096265
	97907704.7 / 0882242

(71)	Applicant: Analog Devices, Inc.
	Norwood, Massachusetts 02062-9106 (US)

(72)	Inventors:
	Payne, Richard S. Andover, MA 01810 (US) Zhao, Yang North Andover, MA 01845 (US)

(74)	Representative: Cross, Rupert Edward Blount et al
	BOULT WADE TENNANT, Verulam Gardens 70 Gray's Inn Road London WC1X 8BT London WC1X 8BT (GB)

(54)	Integrated surface micromachined magnometer

(57) A micromachined magnetometer is built from a rotatable micromachined structure (10) on which is deposited a ferromagnetic material (54) magentized along an axis parallel to the substrate (12). A structure rotatable about the Z-axis can be used to detect external magnetic fields along the X-axis or the Y-axis, depending on the orientation of the magnetic moment of the ferromagnetic material. A structure rotatable about the X-axis or the Y-axis can be used to detect external magnetic fields along the Z-axis. By combining two or three of these structures, a dual-axis or three-axis magnetometer is obtained.

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